Clearly what happened was disgraceful conduct of the worst kind. The Sun and the Daily Mail being, allegedly, the biggest offenders.

The police clearly had no business holding him for as long as they did (they MUST believe that evidence will come to light either during questionning or during investigation if they are to extend the time they can hold a suspect).

Potentially there might be a case for defamation as well because the officer in charge (even after charging the current suspect) actually made a statement saying he was ‘still a suspect’.

For the tabloid press, who labelled this (wholly innocent) man at varying points as a friend of paedophiles, a peeping tom, a creep, questionned his personal hygiene, an oddball and the usual ‘loner’; they deserve to be taken to the cleaners. Repellent behaviour but then to be honest, I’ve stopped expecting anything more from the pondscum that is our tabloid press.

And after that, Dominic Grieve should continue his good record so far and prosecute all publications concerned for contempt of court and, if possible jail the editors because it is becoming clearer and clearer that the threat of fines is not enough. Only a prison sentence for parasites like Paul Dacre is likely to inject any responsibility in reporting.

Emma

I’d like to think this whole episode will make the downmarket press think about what they publish (or at least publish what is allowed within the law).

Somehow, however, I doubt it.

The Scum once got severely punished financially for prejudicing a murder trial (I believe both the editor and the publication were fined heavily). Didn’t alter its behaviour one tiny bit.